economics of on-farm development - Institute for Social and ...

(World Register <strong>of</strong> Dams, 1998) to harvest available v.ater resources. Out <strong>of</strong>
these. about 250 dams are <strong>of</strong> pre-independence vint~gc. ~bout 75 dams art: nHHe
than 90 years old. 300 are more than 50 years old and 30()() art: bcllm 25 > c~r~
old.
The investment on irrigation development has increased significantly In
the successive Five Year Plans. There was. however, a marked decline III
investment after the Sixth Plan 8 . In absolute terms, the investment in irrigation
infrastructure development in India has increased more than 60 times from Rs.
446 crores in the First Plan (1951-56) to Rs.28391 crores in the Eighth Plan
(1992-97) (Table 1.1). Out <strong>of</strong> the total expenditure on irrigation and flood
control. more than 55 per cent had been earmarked for the development <strong>of</strong> major
and medium irrigation projects during most <strong>of</strong> the plan periods except during the
Third and Fourth Plan periods. The cost per hectare <strong>of</strong> irrigation potential created
under major and medium projects has increased by almost 29 times (from Rs.
1200 per ha. during the First Plan to Rs. 35081 during the Seventh Plan). while it
is 10 times in the case <strong>of</strong> minor irrigation projects (from Rs. 691 to Rs. 7331
during the same period).
H The oUllay ,HI irrigallnll \\hich cl)nstituted 23 per cent nf the t,)lal Plan outlay in the
First Plan has declined to 10 per (ent in the Sixth Plan. 7.6 per (ent in the Seventh Plan
and 7.5 per cent in the Ei"dlth Plan. This decline in public i'1\CSllllelit in irrigation sub­
,,-,clor has be(l)nIC a Illajnr Sl\llrCe ,)f debale in vie\\ <strong>of</strong> the IIIlj1I""llllilS that would have
on the CXl